Knight and Day

"Knight and Day" revolves around Cameron Diaz, who is boarding a plane to see her sister April get married. At first, she is forbidden to board the plane, but then the flight attendant finds a seat for her. And guess who Diaz sits next to? The inevitable Tom Cruise. After having a little "talk" with the pilot, the passengers, and the flight attendant, him and Diaz seek out to hunt down the antagonists, one which is played by Peter Sarsgaard. Although, Cruise warns Diaz that the bad guys will say that they are the "FBI" and will pretend she's in a safe place. However, through further investigation, Diaz may think that Cruise is unto something. In the meantime, the bad guys are looking for the battery and are not too thrilled about who holds its possession.

First, let's get to the positives. First off, I liked that this movie established character development. Most action/comedy films fail to fully flesh out are leads and then we aren't registered with them. 3:10 to Yuma director makes us care about these characters, and when put in a tough situation, we just hope the best. Second of all, I thought the script was great. I thought this movie had some really funny one-liners and the film had great comic timing. It couldn't have been better. Thirdly, I thought that the performances were great. All the characters did their job and even stood out, especially Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise. Diaz and Cruise also had wonderful chemistry and their relationship never felt forced or phony. It came out as very authentic rather than artificial and syrupy. Moreover, I thought the film's pacing was excellent. The film is shy of two hours, yet feels like half of that. After the film was over, I thought there would be at least another hour added. Furthermore, I thought the action was awesome. It definitely delivered and this is the best action I've seen in a long time. And lastly, the cinematography was just amazing. I loved the scenery and great production values I must add.

There are very minimal flaws with this movie. However, there are some. First of all, I know this film is intentionally nonsensical, but some scenes went so over-the-top, that when it occasionally was meant to be serious, it came off as cheesy or laugh worthy, fortunately, like I said, occasionally. Second of all, I enjoyed this movie so much that I just wish it were longer.

Overall, "Knight and Day" is a great film because of its fresh script, great performances, amazing action, great comic timing, breathtaking cinematography, and a fascinating direction. And for the first time, it's actually not mindless! If you keep your brain on, you'll still thoroughly enjoy it. If you were disappointed by "Killers", don't worry, so was I, because you will still like this movie. Shoot, I enjoyed it so much I think it's even better than "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" which I liked. "Knight and Day" is one of those rare movies that just works on every level and is one of those rare movies that is worth full admission. See it at night with a large crowd, with a big bucket of popcorn, and a drink, and you'll have a blast. I enjoyed the movie so much that I wanted it to last from "Knight" to "Day". It comes highly recommended.

Great blend of action and comedy. I never felt that the humor and the small bit of romance (that they had to throw in to make the relationship between the two protagonists believable) detracted from the action. It seemed that every time I was about to think "when's the next action scene" the movie would stop the thought with a well timed laugh or another action sequence making me never feel like I was waiting for the story or the action to resume.

It was also refreshing to see Tom Cruise play a part that wasn't meant to be almost completely emotionally impotent. I've never before seen him play a character where his face actually SHOWED such a full spectrum of emotions. Cameron Diaz also runs a gamut of emotional and psychological states as she progresses from the sheltered, Midwestern blonde who's in way over her head to the semi-savvy (albeit awkward) companion/sidekick of a rogue spy trying to clear his name.

I found myself applauding at the end.

This movie was very entertaining. It was a fun, action-packed romantic comedy. It did not do well at the box office domestically because U.S film critics were harsh, but it performed superbly in the international market. International films fans understood to not take it too seriously. Both Tom and Cameron performed well in their roles. They had some adorably funny lines to deliver. Regardless of what is in the gossip columns on these actors, they are good, great actors depending on the roles and scripts they are given. If you want to see a nice escape from reality type movie, watch this one. About 2 weeks after I purchased the three disc combo, I enjoyed the extended version as well. I appreciate that Amazon was offering that bonus, and it's a great way for them to introduce their Video On Demand services.

June Havens'(Cameron Diaz) life turns upside down when she meets with secret agent Roy Miller(Tom Cruise) on her way to Boston. Roy is on the run and all the federal agents are after his life. Soon, they realize that the only way out for survival is to depend on each other. Amazing chases, rib smashing fight scenes with absolutely anything on the planet(fists, guns, knives, glasses, seat belts and what not),plenty of comedy and quite a chemistry between the leads.There is absolutely nothing in the world that Roy cannot do. (I feel Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz should make more movies together!) Although most of the action scenes seem a bit too implausible, Tom Cruise manages to pull it off with charisma. Cameron Diaz provides the right amount of laughs with her comic timing. All in all, an entertaining film, if you are looking for a movie with mindless action and some exotic scenery.

Although far inferior in both concept and results, "Knight and Day" has its roots in the classic screwball comedies of the 1930's. Cute, seemingly coincidental airport encounters connect an attractive blonde, Cameron Diaz, who is en route to her sister's wedding, with a handsome man of mystery, Tom Cruise, and a series of wildly improbable events ensues. An early scene aboard a near-empty airliner is perhaps the film's highlight, as Cruise does battle with unknown assailants, while a blissfully unaware Diaz primps in the restroom, intent on seducing Cruise. Perhaps if the humor and pace of this scene had been sustained, the film would have been more successful. If Cary Grant were the dashing stranger and Katharine Hepburn the unwitting accomplice, the film would have been classic.

However, while they are attractive leads, Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz are not Grant and Hepburn. Although the pair have undeniable star power and seem to be having fun, their eyes were likely focused more on the paycheck than on the superficial script which lacks the witty exchanges of classic screwball comedy. Also appearing for the money is a talented supporting cast that includes Viola Davis, Peter Sarsgaard, and Paul Dano; unfortunately, none of these gifted performers have roles that stretch their acting skills. With chases, gunfights, and rapid cutting, director James Mangold keeps the film moving at breakneck speed as the cast chases a "McGuffin" in the form of a super battery, whose importance is often lost in the sometimes confusing proceedings.

Although even the classic screwball comedies stretched credibility, Mangold's film uses CGI to create sequences that are beyond preposterous. At times, Cruise seems to be a super-hero with supernatural powers; his close encounters are unbelievable even for a Batman or Fantastic Four. As the complicated plot unfolds, the characters' motivations seem to shift, and the audience is kept guessing as to who can and cannot be trusted and who is working for whom. The action, light comedy, and appealing performers will hold viewer interest throughout, although, like cotton candy, this fluffy piece will fade from memory before the closing credits finish rolling.